I always wanted to be a spontaneous composer.

If someone has been escaping reality, I don't expect him to dig my music.

I always thought that no matter what kind of work people did, they should involve themselves totally with all the discrimination they ran into.

Let my children have music! Let them hear live music.

Thelonius Monk went over to Bird and Bud Powell and said, 'I told you guys to act crazy, but I didn't tell you to fall in love with the act. You're really crazy now.'

Jazz is the language of the emotions.

Our nights didn't begin until after noon. Because in the old days, you'd start Birdland at 8:30 or 9 pm and play until 4 in the morning. Then you'd go out to the corner and talk to a couple of musicians - I used to talk to Oscar Pettiford a whole lot - you'd stand there till 7, 8 or 9, or else go down to the jam session at Minton's.